TWO GOOD! Zahra wins back-to-back Melbourne Cups on Without a Fight as three horses pull up lame
Without a Fight completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Tuesday as star jockey Mark Zahra went back-to-back in the big one after…
The spring racing carnival hits full force this weekend with the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes and the Group 1 Flight Stakes among a feast of Group 1 action across both Flemington and Randwick this weekend. Join us for race commentary and results from 4:00pm AEST.
First up we have the Turnbull Stakes, which looks like a defining race for much of the stayers, Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate hopefuls this year.
A stellar field will battle it out over the 2000 metres for $300,000 in prize money.
It’s good to see Happy Trails return to defend last year’s crown, however it won’t be as easy this time around especially considering his charmed run in last year’s race.
I like the look of him though after the Underwood, so I have to include him in my multiples.
Lucia Valentina only has to carry 53.5kg. The Kris Lees-trained mare was good in the Tramway before eating up the ground late in the Group 1 George Main Stakes. She has a great gate and carrying next to no weight will give her a good go at this.
Green Moon could be the surprise of the field, from four starts at the 2000m mark at Flemington he has finished no worse than fourth. That’s a damning statistic that could see the former Melbourne Cup winner run a good race at odds.
Puissance De Lune doesn’t look the same horse as last year – he is missing close to a length. Connections want a Group 1 victory and I’m not sure we will see it today.
Entirely Platinum maps well in this race but can’t win this. Sertorius is the other I reckon could be big on the place, back down to 56.5kg, which will suit and could give a sight at odds.
That said, Lucia Valentina will affirm Caulfield Cup favouritism after today.
Brent Ford tips
1. Lucia Valentina 2. Happy Trails 3. Green Moon 4. Sertorius
The Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) then looks like a real good battle between the trio of Winx, First Seal and the unbeaten Thinking of You.
A small field means the speed should be alright with one of Dynamic Rock, Echo Gal, Press Report or Muscavado expected to take the running up. Winx can turn the tables on First Seal in this one with some genuine tempo in the race.
The Tea Rose was a sit-and-sprint race, which didn’t suit Winx one bit.
As for First Seal, she has shown some high class this preparation, with the only defeat coming at the hands of Sweynesse on a heavy track two runs ago. If she secures a good run off the pace she will be mighty hard to beat coming into the straight.
The last of the trio, Thinking of You, comes into the race following a dominant display over the 1400m at Caulfield. This will be the big test, but Peter Moody doesn’t put horses in this position unless they are ready.
I’ll throw Lady Sharapova into the mix but after the trio the chances gets very thin.
Brent Ford tips
1. Winx 2. First Seal 3. Thinking of You 4. Lady Sharapova